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Thornberry wins key defense post in House

Trish Choate, For the Times Record News
Published 4:10 p.m. CT Nov. 30, 2018

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U.S. Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) met with health insurance underwriters in Wichita Falls recently to discuss the healthcare system and the rising cost of health insurance. The congressman was elected ranking member of House Armed Services Committee, a committee he chaired when the Republicans had a majority in the House.(Photo: Torin Halsey/Times Record News, )Buy Photo

U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry won a spot as top Republican in defense matters Friday morning for the congressional session beginning in January.

House Republicans voted unanimously to choose Wichita Falls’ congressman as ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, acting on the recommendation of GOP House leaders.

A step down from the HASC chairmanship, the post of ranking member means Thornberry will still have clout to see to the fortunes of Sheppard Air Force Base -- a key driver of the Wichita Falls’ economy.

“Congress has a responsibility to see that our troops have the best training, equipment, and support our nation can provide," Thornberry, R-Clarendon, said in a media release.

The House Republican Steering Committee’s recommendation of Thornberry as ranking member was ratified Friday by House Republicans.

He has to relinquish the chairman post on the panel making key decisions for national defense and military funding because Democrats won control of the House in midterm elections.

Thornberry has held the leadership position since 2015 and is the only Texan who ever has.

He has championed bipartisanship on HASC and has said he plans to continue to work with both parties.

"I look forward to continuing to work with incoming Chairman Adam Smith and with Senate Armed Services Chairman Jim Inhofe and Ranking Member Jack Reed for our troops and for American national security," Thornberry said.

Smith is a Democratic representative from Washington, Inhofe a Republican senator from Oklahoma and Reed a Democratic senator from Rhode Island.

Along with Thornberry, they will be the top policymakers for defense in the 116th Congress starting in January.

During his service as HASC chairman, he pushed to restore military readiness and capture more taxpayers dollars to beef up defense.

In addition, he is known for shepherding defense legislation through Congress more quickly and efficiently.

Thornberry has said that it’s important for troops in the field to know they have the support of the whole country.

“That’s why I really tried to keep that bipartisan support, and, as I say, hopefully we can,” he said on Election Day Nov. 6.

Reshuffling is going on throughout House committees since Democrats are anticipated to have won as many as 235 seats to Republicans’ 200 in the Nov. 6 midterms, according to USA Today reports.

Thornberry faced little opposition in his re-election to represent a geographically large district spanning more than 40,000 square miles from the Panhandle to past Gainesville.

He won almost 82 percent of the vote while Democratic challenger Greg Sagan had nearly 17 percent.

First elected in 1994, Thornberry is looking at 24 years representing the 13th Congressional District. He will begin his 13th term in January.

Acknowledging an increasingly polarized environment, Thornberry has said it’s important for lawmakers to work together and resist the forces driving Americans apart.

“We can talk all you want to about the effects of social media and cable television, of outside groups, especially under the current campaign finance laws, which tend to drive Democrats further left and some Republicans further right,” he said.

In addition, there are the Russians attempting to exploit existing divisions in this country, Thornberry said.